before and after

Here are just a FEW "before" and "after" photo's I have been playing with. Just another shoutout on how you should upload photoscape.org.......

before

after

before

after

before

after before after before after

OMAGOODNESS

As most of you know I LOVE photography. However, I am still learning so many of my photos need serious editing but those programs are usually super expensive....UNTIL NOW!!! I googled "free photo editing" and the website photoscape.org popped up, it's stinking amazing and FREEEEEEEEEEEEE! it's like photoshop (which is like 100 bucks or more!!) but better simply cause its free. But really you can do so much more to your photos than what picnik offers. You can donate if you would like to help them further develope their programs but it is truly free, no strings attatched! obviously I am a little excited but I wanted to share the news for you other aspiring photographers out there :) hope you enjoy!!! 

COUNTDOWN

The countdown is on!!! My bestest friend is coming to college station and I could not be more excited! I have exactly one week until I get to pick her up from the airport and get her all to myself for 4 days! There will be lots of laughs, long conversations, hugs, cheers, inside jokes, new memories made and plenty of reminiscing!

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful woman as my best friend. She has seen me through the good times and the bad and never once judged me. She is strong, smart, independent, beautiful and an amazing example and role model for me. I miss her everyday (she now lives in Tenn.) and frequently catch myself wishing that I could run into her room and chat like the many times we did as roommates. I am so glad that God has placed her in my life and can't wait to see what roads life leads us on. I love you momma, your the best!

at one of the many pryor parties

spring break-first time to the river/gruene

~good times~
- trip to cali -

- in san antonio -- polevaulting hotties -

- nashville - her new home :(

the way we usually end up at the end of the night, deep in covo. :)

- grand ole opry -

- boscos? -
- christa's 21! -

-one of the MANY long convsersations we have had over the years -
- she was there for my "I Do's" -

*~Christa, you are my sweet best friend and I am so lucky to have you as my #1! I couldn't have asked for anyone better! I am so glad that you and I were placed in each others paths and able to grow so close over the years! Love ya! Can't wait for our fun weekend up ahead! ~*

"Luck of the Irish"

Wednesday evening after a long day at work I was tired and excited to leave because I had 2 consecutive days off. (YESSSS!) So I strapped myself in and sped off to get home quickly to my love and begin my mini vacation. Normally, I drive pretty cautiously and don't have much of a speeding problem, that day was diferent. Like I said I sped off, out of the mall parking lot and decided against stopping at 2 of the mall stop signs. (oops, my bad!) Then, approaching the feeder to get onto the highway there is another stop sign, (which i think is silly cause how do you expect to get up to 60 mph, quickly from a complete stop.) which I also, "totally paused" at. O, and in trying to get to that stop sign, I was probably speeding. So, of course I get pulled over. I should have, I was being an idiot. Not to mention that I actually saw the cop but figured he wasn't paying me any attention. I was wrong. So I get pulled over and he politely asks me if I knew why he pulled me over, (of course I know why) I just laughed and he joined in. He proceeded to tell me all about the running of stop signs, the speeding, and to add to the mix, he said, "And you have a breaklight out and you probably would have caught that had you had your car inspected. (it has been a year, exactly since I have been inspected. YIKERS!) I laughed again and I said yes, sir, you are probably right. Well, he then told me, "I won't write you a ticket for the stop signs and I won't write ya for speeding, cause I didn't actually have a radar on you. Just slow down and completely STOP at the stop signs." my response, "Yes sire, absolutely." He proceeded, "Now, I am going to write you a warning for your breaklight, since you didn't know BUT I certainly can't overlook the fact that you haven't had your car inspected in over a year, that one, you will receive a ticket." DANG!, but I couldn't complain, out of all 6 tickets I could have received, I was only getting 1. saweeeett! So he took my drivers liscence and registration back to his car. It took him a realllly long time, so of course, I begin to worry. What else could there have been? did he forget something, am I going to jail? You know, you start to worry and all things go rushing through your head. FINALLY, he comes back to my car and chuckling he says, " You know you sure do have the luck of the Irish because my electronic machine that write these tickets is not working for some reason and I am not about to sit here and handwrite all this information for 2 different citations." WHEW!!! (Thank goodness he was feeling lazy that day!) So he said slow down, stop at your stop signs and PLEASE get inspected. I replied with a polite and ellated Yes sir and thank you and we went our seperate ways. Oh man, I could not have been more lucky!

Now that you are all scared out of your britches knowing how I drive on occassion but just know that I don't always drive like I am on fire. :) I thank my lucky Irish poeple for bringing me such luck. Now, it's time to get my car inspected.......

what's new with you?

ok, so it's been what, a week since we have posted last? man. I need to get better at this. I am on another long stretch of consecutive days worked (7 to be exact), so that will be my excuse for the dry spell in updating you all. I have a list of things to post about so here goes............

...old friends with new news...

my best friend from high school came in town from virginia to see her family and a few friends I was blessed to be able to see her and her husband for dinner. It was soooo nice to see her and catch up! She also told us that she is pregnant! YAY!! I am so excited for her! CONGRATS TIFF! It is weird now because she is my first friend (that's not family) to be pregnant after being married for a little while. No, I don't feel the pressure to start trying (quit sweating ryan) it's just another sign that despite our efforts, we are growing up. fast.

....new years resolutions....

*read 12 new books this year: there is no reason to the # of books, I just wanted to be more specific than, "read more" so I picked a number and researched a few good books and have already read one and am on the the 2nd book of the year. yay!

*run another 1/2 marathon and one full marathon this year.

*talk on the phone more: meaning instead of just texting someone, actually pick up the phone and have a conversation with my friends and family. I am not a big gabber, but I certainly need to get better at it.

*send out birthday cards/gifts for family birthdays. Eventually I will get to anniversaries but I thought I would start with birthdays. I am the absolute WORST with this. (sorry mom, dad,eric,sarah, amber, christiaan, jack, addie, jenny,shirley,john) but hopefully this year will be different, so far so good.

*expand my vocabulary: I feel like I have a limited vocabulary. Like I say the same few words when describing things. Time for a change. I mean I may not be really smart, but at least I could sound smart right?! :)

*take more walks with ryan: I need to make more time for him. And we have enjoyed walking the dogs together often, plus its a good way to get our booties off the couch and out for some fresh air.

...new career paths....

This last year has been a great learning experience.....learning what I do NOT want to do for the rest of my life. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all the girls that work for me, but I do not care for some others that I work with, the company I work for and am in need of some change. So, I am looking at teaching. I plan on getting my teachers certification this summer so that I may teach in the fall. I am very excited and can't wait to see where this road takes me. Also, with the lighter schedule I would have more of an opportunity to take photography more seriously and persue that further.....possibly into another new career.

Well, we don't really have much else going on around here. We have been kind of dull since christmas. I hope everyone is doing well though!

TTYL

hello! I just wanted to pop in and say, I do have lots to post about but really, I can't find the time to do so. Our store is in the middle of getting ready for inventory (i do mine on monday!) so i come home, sleep and then go right back to work. UGH! but anyway, I plan on posting once THIS is all over and I can get back to my post holiday/inventory routine....

Thing i need to post about:

~new years resolutions~new paths for us~seeing old friends with new news~seeking out photography as a new career~another 1/2 or maybe a full?~

not that I really need to post that list for you all to see, more like a reminder list for me. I think I have lost my memory somewhere down the line. Talk to you guys later!!!

HapPy NeW YeAR!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! I hope that everyone had a  fun, safe and exciting New Year's Eve This year Ryan and I were surrounded with great friends and of course each other so needless to say we really enjoyed ourselves. We started out at a friends house for burgers, mac and cheese, spinach & artichoke dip, and of course BLACK EYED PEAS. Once we were done eating we hit the town to celebrate the countdown. We all had our midnight kisses and celebrated well into the wee hours of the morning. We had lots of fun and I hope that the rest of the year is a fun as New Year's Eve was. 

katy and shaffen, thanks for hosting!
leslie and jarred
the boys watching basketball

I loved my hat. thanks katy!